Therapeutic Recreation
About This Program
You’re energetic and feel happiest when you’re on the move. You thrive helping others achieve their goals. You’re a people person. Therapeutic recreation may be for you.
Why Utica University
Therapeutic recreation (TR), also known as recreation therapy (RT), is the use of recreation, leisure, and play to improve or maintain physical, cognitive, social, and emotional functioning to assist individuals in experiencing independent lifestyles and satisfying leisure experiences.
The certificate in therapeutic recreation provides students with skills and knowledge in assessing, developing and implementing individualized intervention programs, and utilizing facilitation techniques in a range of modalities for clients with medical and disabling conditions disorders, and impairments. These abilities support learning in other health science majors and prepare students for work in a variety of human service professions.
Contact Information
Office of Admissions
Kirstin Walker
General Information
Therapeutic Recreation at Utica
Recreational therapists will increasingly be utilized in helping veterans manage service-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or injuries such as the loss of a limb.
Median annual pay for recreational therapists in NYS
Estimated job growth
Career Opportunities
On the Rise
What You'll Learn
Students in the Therapeutic Recreation certificate program at Utica University will:
- develop competence to individually screen, assess, and systematically collect client data, develop individualized intervention plans, and utilize relevant documentation to track client progress toward attaining goals.
- develop competence in planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based therapeutic recreation intervention programs that identify functional outcome goals, modalities, and facilitation techniques used to restore, remediate, or rehabilitate client functioning and lead to the utilization and enhancement of an independent leisure lifestyle.
- acquire specific skills with and knowledge of facilitation techniques in a range of modalities used as interventions for clients with medical and disabling conditions, disorders, and impairments affecting their physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and leisure functioning across the lifespan.
Therapeutic Recreation Faculty
- Associate Professor of Therapeutic Recreation
A Program That Works
Alumni of Utica University's Therapeutic Recreation program work in physical medicine and rehabilitation, mental/behavioral health, nursing homes and other programs serving older adults, residential care for people with developmental disabilities, youth programs, as well as community based programs for people with and without disabilities.
Some TR alumni have taken leadership positions at:
- The Root Farm (Sauquoit, NY)
- St. Luke's Home (Utica, NY)
- Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center
- Masonic Care Community (Utica, NY)
- Upstate Cerebral Palsy
- St. Lawrence NYSARC
- MaineHealth
- Beckwith Health Care (Philadelphia, PA)
- Bergen Regional Medical Center (Paramus, NJ)
National Certification
The six required courses in the certificate meet the criteria for specific therapeutic recreation content required by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), but do not include all of the NCTRC requirements to become a CTRS.
Essential Care
Beyond the physical toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the emotional effects can be devastating to those who already struggle with mental health issues. How Recreational Therapist Loretta Plescia ’06 is helped young people cope as the crisis unfolded.
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Helping Others
A visit with Olivia Cunningham and how the opportunity to help others drew her to the therapeutic recreation program.
Official Success
In February 2018, Jessica Leclerc ’09 was one of only four American women (19 women total) to officiate the women’s ice hockey tournament during the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. The Maine native, former Utica University hockey captain, and graduate of Utica’s Therapeutic Recreation program has been officiating since she was 12.
Read MoreHappening at Utica University
Utica University Announces Spring 2025 High Honors and Dean’s List
Four Professors Elevated to Emeritus Status
Associate Professor Michael McCarthy awarded 2025 Virgil Crisafulli Distinguished Teaching Award
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